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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25204756">Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/repwarrior/pseuds/repwarrior'>repwarrior</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Raccoon City's Finest Duo [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse), Resident Evil - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Confessional, Confrontation, F/M, Fear, Game: Resident Evil 3 Nemesis, Game: Resident Evil 3 Remake (2020), Love Confessions, Nightmare, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Resident Evil 3 Remake Spoilers, Resident Evil Remake</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:27:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,001</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25204756</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/repwarrior/pseuds/repwarrior</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Some time has passed since the infamous Spencer Mansion incident. Jill Valentine returns to its ruins, to finally confront her demons. Carlos decides to come with her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carlos Oliveira/Jill Valentine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Raccoon City's Finest Duo [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1822903</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey there! I highly recommend reading ''Go To Sleep'' and ''Embers to Flames'' first, parts 1 and 2 in this little trilogy that I've written, inspired by these two incredible characters. Thank you! Enjoy! &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Are you sure you wanna do this?’ Carlos asked, his wandering gaze fixated on Jill’s.</p>
<p>‘Yes. Now or never,’ she replied as she looked up at the rusty metal fence with spear tops.</p>
<p>‘Alright, Supercop. I’m right beside you.’</p>
<p>           Turning off the buzzing engine, they stepped out of the car and onto the hard earth.</p>
<p>           The two glanced at the incredible construction that soared before them, guarded by overgrown vegetation. Its grey walls rose high and the front of the building gave the appearance of an imposing god that did not wish to be disturbed. The cracked windows seemed to be eyes into its dormant soul. A muddy pathway lead straight to the large entrance. Chips and splits trickled across its entire surface, a sign of the times it had lived through.</p>
<p>           Those were the ruins of the infamous Spencer mansion, symbol of a bleak era. Hidden within the confines of the Arklay mountains, it laid restless.</p>
<p>           With a quick jump forward Carlos hopped the fence. He opened his arms to safely catch Jill, who followed him right after. They treaded on the trail with precaution checking in all directions to make sure there was no hint of malevolent creatures that could trace them. As they reached the double doors, Jill could feel a powerful force guiding her to walk inside. It was as if it wanted to whelm her and trap her there. Grabbing Carlos’s hand, they pushed open the door together.</p>
<p>           The monumental foyer revealed itself.</p>
<p>           The boundless chamber was centered by a staircase which was covered by a carefully woven red rug. The tiled floor felt slippery at contact. Extinguished candles remained on the various counters placed across the lobby. Multiple other doors were installed on each wing. Due to the fact that there was no electricity running anymore, the two trespassers were only accompanied by the moonlight shining in through the window bay above the entry, and their flashlights. Looking down at the floor Jill noticed a few blood droplets were still visible from the time she had to fend herself against the Cerberus that had barged in on that fateful July night.</p>
<p>‘I can’t believe it. We are here. I am actually back here,’ Jill whispered with a sigh.</p>
<p>‘Tell me about it!’ Carlos exclaimed as he looked behind every two seconds.</p>
<p>‘I promise we won’t stay long,’ she assured him, to which he nodded with a subtle smile.</p>
<p>           Their first destination was the spacious dining room located to the left. Where her trek around the mansion started. Upon entering, the object that immediately caught their attention was the shattered statue that had been pushed down from the platform upstairs. In the middle of the room, the extinguished furnace was freezing. The death grip brought by winter seemed like a constant in that forsaken place. Jill wrapped her arms around her body to fight off the frost. Noting that, Carlos cupped her cheeks. That unmistakable rush of warmth always given by his touch imbibed her.</p>
<p>           They checked out the room once more and went back to the main hall.</p>
<p>           Going for the right side, they reached a marbled corridor. Quick flashes of what had occurred there flew past Jill’s vision in an instant: the dogs that jumped in through the windows with no mercy as they lunged at her throat. Yet only tranquility reigned supreme now. The two advanced to the other end with care. Outside, olden arbors watched over them as they passed by the destroyed window frames. Soon they came across a door that led to a small balcony, where they decided to lay down for a while. In the far distance, what was once Jill’s home remained a shell of its former self. Skyscrapers torn to shreds. Flattened neighborhoods. Life itself, gone.</p>
<p>           It was as terrifying as it was beautiful.</p>
<p>‘Raccoon City... It’s a part of us,’ Jill confided.</p>
<p>‘Scary isn’t it?’ Carlos asked, staring ahead.</p>
<p>‘I used to think that. But now, I don’t know,’ she replied intertwining her fingers with his.</p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p>
<p>           They were now in the bar area. A wonderfully sculpted black piano could be seen in a corner. Dust particles had settled over it, but it was functional. Jill sat on the comfy stool as Carlos took a seat next to her. Clutching the music sheet left on the table beside her and placing it on the piano, Jill breathed in. Her hands made contact with the monochromatic keys.</p>
<p>           As she pressed the keyboard smoothly, the most gorgeous sounds Carlos had ever heard began to float in the quaint lull. In the darkness of that hell, a pure spark had just infiltrated. The cold present in the mansion evaporated as the musical notes seemed to dance perfectly in the air. Carlos could not help but look intensely at Jill and analyze her concentration. Jill felt her cheeks flush with pink from nervousness, but she tried to ignore it.</p>
<p>‘It’s stunning,’ Carlos quietly told her.</p>
<p>           A little taken aback, Jill looked up at him with a smirk.</p>
<p>‘Thanks. I’ve always wanted to play you a song and-</p>
<p>           As quickly as it started, the astounding performance came to a halt when a sudden shriek roared in the background from an unknown source. Jill and Carlos looked at each other. They seized the guns they had brought in the eventuality of anything unpredicted. Shifting eyes around the bar, there was nothing out of the ordinary at first sight. Then it happened.</p>
<p>           An awful screech of hunger coming from an infected figure echoed closer until the monster showed up rapidly fracturing the door with its splintery hooks for nails. The two humans jumped back to avoid its attempt at lunging for their exposed throats. Acting fast Jill tossed the piano stool at the creature. It smashed into its rotten composure managing to incapacitate it for a good second. She then snagged Carlos’s shaking hand.</p>
<p>‘That’s a crimson head, we need to go now!’ she shouted in despair.</p>
<p>           They ran across the narrow hallway back to the dining room. The vicious undead was right behind them, its berserk howls sending jagged chills down their spines. Making it to the main foyer they shut the door in its face as it desperately clawed at them. As soon as they wanted to exit the building an all too familiar scene played out that made Jill scream and collapse on the floor in shock. A pack of mutated dogs charged at them. Carlos slammed the door to keep them out. He then helped Jill get up with a strong grip.</p>
<p>           In that moment they realized that they were being hunted down from every single direction.</p>
<p>           More zombies staggered down the staircase from upstairs, their arms shot out and ready to grab any living flesh that was less than an inch apart. From the right wing, on the other part of the massive door, deafening yelps of what appeared to be even more crimson heads reverberated in their eardrums. Standing completely silent Jill and Carlos took a few steps back until they found themselves in the center of the lobby. Jill looked at every one of their deranged faces, her eye twitching as anger and fear mixed into her brain.</p>
<p>           With a tender move Carlos took her palms into his. He looked at her with a dazed peek that always made her stumble over her words.</p>
<p>‘No. This time it won’t end like this,’ Jill muttered.</p>
<p>           Biting her lower lip, she inhaled and then let out the most furious shout. She turned to face her surroundings.</p>
<p>‘I will not let this place control me anymore! I will not live in fear my whole fucking life! Do you hear me motherfuckers?! You cannot bring <em>us</em> down!’ her voice harshly accentuated as she glanced back at Carlos.</p>
<p>           They embraced in a hug that felt obliterating.</p>
<p>           Before they knew it, the monstrosities began to melt into indistinguishable puddles of blood that seeped through the ground never to be seen again.</p>
<p>           Opening the entryway again, the path was now free of peril. Their vehicle awaited on the other side of the fence.</p>
<p>           Revving the engine, they drove far away into the liberating light of the dawn.</p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>-----</p>
</div><p> </p>
<p>           Jill woke up startled.</p>
<p>           Small drips of sweat poured down her forehead. She immediately turned to her right. Carlos was there, facing her. He opened his eyes as well. They stood there in bed, seemingly admiring each other’s taciturn expressions. In silence, Carlos shifted his palm from under the silky sheets and caressed his lover’s cheek while showing her the most sweltering smile. A slight cut could still be noticed on her face but it had mostly healed by now. Not that it mattered. She was mesmerizing.</p>
<p>           By their bed, the white sheer curtain that veiled them from the rest of the world swayed in the breeze. From outside, a neon blue flare emitted by a striking billboard sign made its way through the window. It offered a fount of gleam into the dimly lit bedroom. Fittingly, it grazed Jill’s face, her hypnotizing orbs glowing in the light. She gently shoved her face into Carlos’s furry chest, her head under his bearded chin. Sitting there like that, in the intimacy of their secret oasis, was one of her favorite moments everyday. His pleasant scent eased the hasty thoughts that rumbled in her mind. Carlos tucked her hair strands behind her ear. He loved doing that. He simply loved being there, so close to her.</p>
<p>           Everything felt right. It was okay.</p>
<p>           The digital clock on the night stand displayed November 24, 03:15AM. It had been almost two months since the Raccoon incident. Since then they had been struggling with moving on and continuing life. However, having each other there certainly helped, perhaps more than they were prepared to admit just yet.</p>
<p>           Taking one more look at Carlos, Jill parted her lips:</p>
<p>‘I had that dream again.’</p>
<p>           Carlos frowned as they both stood up, their backs against the bed frame.</p>
<p>‘This time it was different though,’ she continued, ‘It didn’t end the same as it was doing until now. You didn’t… die. We made it out of there.’</p>
<p>           Hearing that last sentence, Carlos snuggled up to her.</p>
<p>‘I think that means you’re making progress. I am proud of you, Jill,’ he disclosed as he went in for a passionate kiss.</p>
<p>‘How are you feeling?’ she asked after they broke the kiss, as she took a quick peek at his wavy hair strands that she could not get enough of.</p>
<p>‘I’m doing a bit better too. You know… it has been easier to overcome everything with you here,’ his tone hitched as he confessed that, ‘Fuck. It felt good saying it out loud,’ he then murmured.</p>
<p>           Jill smirked softly.</p>
<p>‘Come here,’ she said taking his hand as they both got out of bed.</p>
<p>           They cuddled up at the window, beaming at the confounding skyline. Sparkling glass highrise buildings shimmered on the horizon. At ground level, urban life followed its usual routine. Impatient drivers honked their car horns in the dizzying traffic on the avenue. Random groups of people cheered loudly on the sidewalks as they enjoyed their wild night out. In spite of even the worst of times, there was intact peace of mind to be found in that scenery.</p>
<p>‘Look up,’ Carlos pointed at the moon.</p>
<p>           Its light shone over the bustling city like a quiet angel, as if protecting it.</p>
<p>‘At the risk of being corny – then again you’re used to it by now,’ Carlos said with a chuckle, ‘I want to tell you something… You know how you were worrying about finding a new place to live, after we escaped that town?’</p>
<p>           Jill nodded.</p>
<p>‘Well, no matter what happens... You’re my home.’</p>
<p>           A mystifying pause.</p>
<p>           Jill’s heart skipped a beat as she frantically tried to muster up four words.</p>
<p>           Then she did it.</p>
<p>‘Carlos, I love you.’</p>
<p>           Carlos felt a balmy shiver down his back. He could finally say it too.</p>
<p>‘I love you too, Supercop.’</p>
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